MAR 



MAR 



creasing in size. Its not being 1 visible in 

 the year 17S3, is no objection to these 

 phenomena, being owing to the position 

 of the axis, by which it was removed out 

 of sight. It has been commonly related 

 by astronomers, that the atmosphere of 

 this planet is possessed of such strong re- 

 fractive powers, as to render the small 

 fixed stars near which it passes invisible. 

 Dr. Smith relates an observation of Cassini, 

 where a star in the water of Aquarius, 

 at the distance of six minutes from the 

 disk of Mars, became so faint before its 

 ^ occultation, that it could not be seen by 

 the naked eye, nor with a three feet tele- 

 scope. This would indicate an atmos- 

 phere of a very extraordinary size and 

 density ; but the following observations of 

 Dr. Herschel seem to show that it is of 

 much smaller dimensions. " 1783, Oct. 

 26th. There are two small stars pie- 

 ceding Mars, of different sizes ; with 460 

 they appear both dusky red, and are 

 pretty unequal ; with 218 they appear 

 considerably unequal. The distance from 

 Mars of the nearest, which is also the 

 lurp;est, with 227 measured 3' 26" 20'". 

 Some time after, the same evening, the 

 distance was 3 ; 8'' 55'", Mars being retro- 

 grade. Both of them were seen very 

 distinctly. They were viewed with a new 

 twenty feet reflector, and appeared very 

 bright. October 27th, the small star is 

 not quite so bright, in proportion to the 

 large one, as it was last night, being a 

 good deal nearer to Mars, which is now 

 on the side of the small star ; but when 

 the planet was drawn aside, or out of 

 view, it appeared as plainly as usual. The 

 distance of the small star was 2' 5" 25'". 

 The largest of the two stars (adds he,) 

 on which the above observations were 

 made, cannot exceed the twelfth, and the 

 smallest the thirteenth or fourteenth mag- 

 nitude ; and I have no reason to suppose 

 that they were any otherwise affected by 

 the approach of Mars, than what the 

 brightness of its superior light may ac- 

 count for. From other phenomena it ap- 

 pears, however, that this planet is not 

 without a considerable atmosphere ; for 

 besides the permanent spots on its sur- 

 face, I have often noticed occasional 

 changes of partial bright belts, and also 

 once a darkish one in a pretty high lati- 

 tude ; and these alterations we can 

 hardly ascribe to any other cause than 

 the variable disposition of clouds and va- 

 pours floating in the atmosphere of the 

 planet." 



MARSHALLIA, in botany, a genus of 

 the Syngenesia Polygamia JEqualis class 



and order. Generic character : calyx' 

 common, many-leaved, spreading ; leaf- 

 lets linear lanceolate, blunt, concave, 

 almost equal, permanent ; corolla corn- 

 pound, uniform, longer than the calyx ; 

 stamen filaments five, capillary ; pistil 

 germ ovate ; pericarpium none ; seeds 

 solitary ; receptacle chaffy. 



MARSHALLING a coat, in heraldry, 

 is the disposal of several coats of arms 

 belonging to distinct families, in one and 

 the same escutcheon or shield, together 

 with their ornaments, parts, and appur- 

 tenances. 



MARSHALSEA court, is a court of re- 

 cord, originally instituted to hear and de- 

 termine causes between the servants of 

 the king's household, and others, within 

 the verge ; and has jurisdiction of things 

 within the verge of the court, and of pleas 

 of trespass, where either party is of the 

 king's family, and of all other actions per- 

 sonal, wherein both parties are the king's 

 servants ; but the court has also power 

 to try all personal actions, as debt, tres- 

 pass, slander, trover, actions on the case, 

 &c. between party and party, within the 

 liberty, which extends twelve miles about 

 Whitehall. The judges of this court are 

 the steward of the king's household, 

 and knight-marshal for the time being ; 

 the steward of the court or his deputy, is 

 generally an eminent counsel. It can try 

 all causes, and sits every week, so that 

 judgment can be obtained in a fortnight 

 or three weeks. It has jurisdiction ot all 

 debts above as well as below 40s. But if 

 a cause of importance is brought in this 

 court, it is frequently removed into the 

 court ot King's Bench, or Common Pleas, 

 by an habeas corpus cum causa. This can- 

 not be done unless the debt is above 20/. 

 The court would have a great deal of 

 practice, on account of the expedition of 

 it, if it were not confined by having only 

 a fixed number of attornies. 



MARSH MALLOW, in botany and me- 

 dicine. See ALTHJEA. 



MARSILEA, in botany, a genus of the 

 Cryptogamia Miscellanea:. Generic cha- 

 racter : calyx common oval ; corolla none ; 

 stamens, filaments none ; anthers several, 

 inserted round each pistil ; pistil in each 

 cell several ; pericarpium none ; seeds 

 as many as there are pistils ; receptacle 

 membrane somewhat fleshy, clothing the 

 cells internally. There are three species, 

 natives of France, Italy, and the East In- 

 dies. 



MARTIN (BENJAMIN,) in biography, 

 was born in 1704, and became one of the 

 most celebrated mathematicians and opti> 



